Coupler



C. DU BOIS Feb. 24, 1970 I COUPLER Filedl eb. 5, 1968 United StatesPatent 3,497,249 COUPLER Chester Du Bois, Zion, Ill., assignor toOutboard Marine Corporation, Waukegan, 11]., a corporation of DelawareFiled Feb. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 703,145 Int. Cl. F16b 7/04 US. Cl. 287-10414 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed herein is a coupler whichis adapted for adjustably connecting two links or shafts and which isformed from a single piece of material with opposed jaw portionsconnected at one end by a Spring portion which biases the jawsoutwardly. Inturned longitudinal edges on the jaw portions, togetherwith the spring portion and an inturned flange at the other end of thejaws define two spaced channels between the jaws which receive thecoupled members. Teeth projecting inwardly from the jaw portions securethe members against slippage. A bolt extending through one jaw portionand threaded into the other jaw portion adjustably compresses the jawportions against the coupled members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to acoupling device and more particularly to a coupler adapted to adjustablyvary the length of a linkage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The coupler of the invention can be formed orstamped from a single piece of material to provide opposed parallelspaced apart jaw portions connected at one end by a spring portionadapted to bias the jaw portions outwardly. The jaw portions haveinturned longitudinal edges that come together to define, in part, aclosed channel construction and prevent lateral displacement of thecoupled members. An inturned flange at one end of one of the jawportions has a width equal to the spring portion. The inturned flangeand spring portion together define the inside of the channels andmaintain the coupled members in generally parallel relation.

The jaw portions are adjustably compressed by a fastener in the form ofa bolt or screw extending through the jaw portions. Teeth on each jawportion grip the coupled members. The coupled members can be shiftedthrough the coupling after releasing the jaw pressure by unthreading thescrew.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following disclosure.

DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a coupler in accordance withthe invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view along line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view of a modified embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a view of the coupler shown in FIG- URE 1 connecting twolinks connected to two throttle shutters.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of an additional embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGURE 1, there is shown a coupler inaccordance with the invention which is generally desig- 3,497,249Patented Feb. 24, 1970 nated 10 and which includes two parallel opposedjaw portions 12 and 14 which are interconnected at one end by a springportion 16 having margins or edges 18. The spring portion 16 is adaptedto bias the jaw portions 12 and 14 outwardly. Each jaw portion 12 and'14 has inturned longitudinal edges 20 and 22 which come together whenthe jaws are compressed. The spring portion 16 has a narrower width thanthe jaw portions 12 and 14 and the edges of the spring portion arespaced from the longitudinal edge portions and thus the spring portionfunctions as a guide between the coupled members 24 and 26 to preventinward displacement of the members 24 and 26 and maintain the members inparallel relation. An inturned flange 28 equal in width to the springportion 16 located at the forward end of one of the jaw portions 12 and14 provides a guide at the forward end-of the coupler 10. The margins 29of the flange 28 are in the same planes as the margins 18 of the springportion 16. The jaw portions 12 and 14, inturned longitudinal edges 20and 22 together with the spring portion 16 and the inturned flange 28define two spaced channels 30 and 32 to receive the coupled members 24and 26. The spring portion 16 and the inturned flange 28 define theinside of the channels and the longitudinal edge portions define theoutside of the channels.

In accordance with the invention means are provided for securing the jawportions in clamping engagement on the coupled members 24 and 26. In theconstruction disclosed in FIGURES l and 2 such means comprises anadjustable fastener in the form of a sheet metal screw 34 which extendsthrough the jaw portion 12 and is threaded into the jaw portion 14. Themeans also adjustably compresses the jaw portions.

In the construction disclosed in FIGURE 3 the means provided forsecuring the jaw portions in clamping engagement on the coupled memberscomprises a lip or hook portion 36 on the lower edge of inturned flange28. The lip 36 extends beneath the forward edge 38 of the jaw portion'14 to secure the jaw portions against the links 24 and 26. The jawportions are manually compressed to engage the lip 36 with the adjacentedge 38 of the jaw portion 14.

Additional means are provided to secure the links within the jawportions. In the illustrated construction the means are in the form ofteeth 40 which extend inwardly between the jaw portions and which can beformed by terminal portions by cutting or stamping parts of the jawportions 12 and 14.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the coupler 10 is illustrated connecting the links24 and 26 which are connected to the arms 42 and 44 of carburetorshutters 46 and 48. The positions of the throttle shutters with respectto each other are easily adjusted by unthreading screw 34 to re leasethe grip of the jaws on the links 24 and 26 and sliding the linksthrough the coupler 10 to the desired position. The links are thensecured in the desired position by tightening the screw 34.

A further embodiment of the invention is disclosed in FIGURE 5. In thisembodiment each jaw portion 50 and 52 is provided with an inturnedflange respectively 54, 56 at one end of the coupler 58. The inturnedflanges 54, 56 are provided with inclined edges 60 adapted to grip acoupled member 26 and secure the coupled member 26 against displacement.The inclined edges 60 define notches which form the inside of thechannels.

An additional embodiment of the invention is disclosed in FIGURE 6. Inthis embodiment the jaw portions 62 and 64 are interconnected by aspring portion 66 which is generally parallel to the inturnedlongitudinal edge portions 68 and 70 of the jaw portions 62 and 64. Thejaw portions 62, 64 are provided with inturned flanges 72, 74, 76 and78.

The .spring portion 66 can be provided with an inturned tooth 80 tosecure a coupled member against displacement, which can be formed fromcutting or stamping the spring portion 66. In the embodiment shown inFIGURE 6, the spring portion 66 and longitudinal edge portions 68 and 70define the outside of the channels and the inclined edges on inturnedflanges 72, 74, 76 and 78 define notches which form the inside of thechannels.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A coupler comprising a pair of opposed spaced apart jaw portions eachhaving inturned longitudinal edge portions, and a spring portioninterconnecting one end of said jaw portions and adapted to bias said jaw portions outwardly, said spring portion having edges spaced from saidlongitudinal edge portions and defining together with said jaw portionsand said longitudinal edge portions, a pair of spaced apart channelsbetween said jaw portions adapted to receive members in generallyparallel relation for coupling, with said spring portion edges definingthe inside of said channels and said longitudnal edge portions definingthe outside of said channels and means for securing said jaw portions inclamping engagement on the members to be coupled.

2. The coupler of claim 1 including an inturned flange at one end of oneof said jaw portions, said flange spanning the space between said jawportions and having a width equal to the width of said spring portion,the margins of said flange being in the same planes as the margins ofsaid spring portion.

3. The coupler of claim 2 wherein said means for securing said jawportions in clamping engagement on the members to be coupled comprises alip on said inturned flange adapted to engage the adjacent edge of theother of said jaw portions.

4. The coupler of claim 1 wherein said means for securing said jawportions in clamping engagement comprises a fastener extending throughone of said jaw portions and threaded into the other of said jawportions.

5'. The coupler of claim 1 wherein said jaw portions have teeth on theirinner surfaces adapted to grip the members to be coupled.

6. The coupler of claim 5 wherein said teeth comprise inwardly extendingterminal portions of said jaw portions.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said jaw portions and said springportion are formed from one piece of material.

8. A coupler comprising a pair of opposed spaced apart jaw portionshaving an inturned longitudinal edge portion, and a spring portioninterconnecting each of said jaw portions and adapted to bias said jawportions outwardly, an inturned flange at one end of one of said ja-wportions having spaced edges defining together with said jaw portionsand said spring portion, a pair of spaced apart channels between saidjaw portions adapted to receive members in generally parallel relationfor coupling and means for securing said jaw portions in clampingengagement on the members to be coupled.

9. The coupler of claim 8 wherein each of said jaw portions has aninturned flange at one end of said jaw port1ons.

10. The coupler of claim 9 wherein each of said inturned flanges hasinwardly inclined edges adapted to engage the members to be coupled withsaid inclined edges of each of said jaw portions defining notches whichform the inside of said channels.

11. The coupler of claim 8 wherein each of said jaw portions hasinturned flanges at each end.

12. The coupler of claim 8 wherein said spring portion is generallyparallel to said longitudinal edge portions.

13. A coupler comprising a pair of opposed spaced apart jaw portionshaving an inturned longitudinal edge portion, and a spring portiongenerally parallel to said longitudinal edge portion and interconnectingeach of said jaw portions and adapted to bias said jaw portionsoutwardly, an inturned flange at one end of one of said jaw portions anddefining, together with said jaw portions and said spring portion, apair of spaced apart channels between said jaw portions adapted toreceive members in generally parallel relation for coupling and a toothon said spring portion, said tooth being adapted to engage a member tobe coupled.

14. A coupler comprising a pair of opposed spaced apart jaw portionshaving inturned longitudinal edge portions, and a spring portioninterconnecting each of said jaw portions and adapted to bias said jawportions outwardly, an inturned flange at one end of one of said jawportions and defining together with said jaw portions and said springportion, a pair of spaced apart channels with the outside of saidchannels being defined by said spring portion and said longitudinal edgeportions and the inside of said channels being defined by said inturnedflange, said channels being adapted to receive members in generallyparallel relation for coupling, and means for securing said jaw portionsin clamping engagement on the members to be coupled.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,489,835 4/1924 Kietz 3392461,542,074 6/1925 Mayer 339246 3,177,542 4/1965 James 24-125 3,276,80010/1966 Loudon et al 287189.35 3,404,366 10/ 1968 Seckerson 339246FOREIGN PATENTS 923,971 2/ 1947 France.

1,309,042 10/1962 France.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKI, Primary Examiner A. V. KUNDRAT, AssistantExaminer U.S. Cl. X..R. 24-125

